Chapter 162: Clearing the Alligators

I was on my way home, when my jacket pocket began to play that song again. "Hello," I said after I pulled over.

"What did you need," Jen asked. She sounded busy.

"Can you swing by the jail. I need for you to take a statement from one of the Smiley vics." I replied.

"Actually, I'm across the street at the courthouse. I can drop by, before I get in my car, which I was about to do."

I knew that it was an imposition, but I didn't really care. She got me into most of this shit, so it was only fair that she share in the grief. "While you are there, see if there is anything I can do for her in exchange for her statement and testimony. I already have her on tape, but I want to put the fear of God into her, just in case she tries to recant. If she is totally beat down, I will try to get Ed to bail her ass out."

"Take it a step at a time. Let me talk to her and I'll call you later," Jen explained.

"Good enough," I said.

I put the cruiser back on the road and headed it for home. I made it to my apartment without any more phone calls, but as soon as I got inside there was a knock on the door. I didn't even bother to look, I expected it to be Cheryl.

"Hello Cheryl, I see you skipped your afternoon nap. You are going to be cranky," Yes I had to laugh at her.

"So tell me what is the gig. I couldn't get it out of Lucas," she informed me. It was good to know that he didn't spill everything to her.

"We are checking out a child molesting case for Jen." I didn't think she needed to know that it was Sarah, her neighbor.

"So why didn't you include me? Are you afraid that I will kill the target?" she asked.

"Well I can't be sure that I won't, so how could I be sure you wouldn't." I asked.

"Because, I'm not going back inside for someone else. I might come to you for some sleazy trick to put them away, but I'm not going back inside." She said it with a very serious expression.

"Well good, the real reason I didn't bring you in yet is that I am probably going to need you as a decoy. The guy might recognize me from the TV promos. You are a fresh face for now." I said.

"Well I have to admit that it does make sense. So when do we start the sting?" she asked.

"We don't know enough yet. Just let me keep running down his history, then we will work out his punishment." I suggested.

"You are so sexy, when you are devious," Cheryl said then she kissed me. It was full of passion, but I didn't respond. I had way too much on my mind. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Just not in the mood. I have this job on my mind. It will be over soon, besides where is your new chick?" I asked.

"She is busy this afternoon. If you don't want me, I'm going to take that nap." she informed me not too happily.

"Good, you will be in a better mood," I suggested.

"Fuck you," Cheryl said.

After she had gone I watched TV online, while I waited for Jen's call. Before Jen called, Lucas rang my phone. "Boss, I got half the names for you. The list you gave me goes back almost ten years. This prick has been at it a long time, I can't see how he has gotten away with it."

"I wondered that myself. He might be conning the kids, and he might be selecting only mothers he thinks he can control, but surely some little girl told someone." I said.

"There is no hint of it in his background checks. No investigations, of any kind, by anyone that I can see." Lucas said.

"Okay send the list of names and any contract info you can dig up to my email. You keep working on it, but this might be enough. I have to ask Jen how many she needs, then go out and find them."

I fixed myself a frozen dinner while I waited for Jen. My frozen dinners came from Helen's catering service. She used a disposable microwave safe tray to load up food for me. I paid for her left overs, before she donated them to the shelter. I had five or six in the freezer at any given time. That night it was some kind of fish thing that should have been disgusting when reheated, but it was delicious.

It was so good that I didn't want to stop eating to answer the phone. I finally gave in and pushed the talk button. "Hello," I said.

"Maxine this kid is a real piece of work. I wouldn't let her near me with anything sharp." Jen said.

"So did she sign the statement?" I asked.

"I told her we could not offer her anything till she signed. After she signed, we would do what we could for her. She finally gave in. We have her statement with lots of details that might help us understand the bastard." Jen informed me.

"So how about the drug charges," I asked.

"She is going to do time. I explained to her that it was just a matter of how much time."

"Did she buy it?" I asked.

"Yeah, but Maxine, do not go her bail. She is already making plans to go south, way south." Jen said.

"If we don't bailer her out, she is going to recant for sure," I said. "But the upside is that we know he is doing it to all his girlfriend's kids now. We also have his MO. I can use that to convince other's to roll his ass up. Lucas has given me leads for ten others. So what I think you should do is offer to get her the best deal you can, then walk away." I said.

"You realize that you promised to help her," Jen said.

"I will, I will let her stew a day or two, then tell her that if she gives up everything she knows, we can negotiate a deal with the DEA. She had a kilo of pot, she got it from somebody dealing in volume. Besides they owe me." I said. "Then if she refuses and recants, so what."